Jiayuan.com engages financial advisor, legal counsel to evaluate proposal letter Jiayuan.com (DATE) announced that the special committee of the company's board has retained Barclays Bank (BCS) as its financial advisor and Davis Polk & Wardwell as its legal counsel in connection with its review and evaluation of the non-binding proposal letter, dated March 3, from Vast Profit Holdings that proposes a "going-private" transaction involving the acquisition of all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the company not already owned by Vast Profit. Paul Hastings LLP is acting as the company's legal counsel. The board cautions the company's shareholders and others considering trading in the company's securities that no decisions have been made by the Special Committee with respect to the company's response to the proposal and there can be no assurance that any definitive offer will be made, that any agreement will be executed or that this or any other transaction will be approved or consummated.

Citizens Financial could return 30%, Barron's says Citizens Financial (CFG), a spinoff from RBS (RBS), could return 30% in the next two years, Barron's contends in a feature article. Shares trade at about a 20% discount to peers, the paper adds. Reference Link

Lloyds Banking confirms sale of shares to SabadelLloyds Banking notes the announcement by TSB Banking in relation to the agreed terms of the recommended cash offer for TSB Banking by Banco de Sabadell, pursuant to which Sabadell will acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of TSB. The Group has agreed to sell a 9.99% interest in TSB to Sabadell, and the Group has entered into an irrevocable undertaking to accept the Offer in respect of its entire remaining 40.01% shareholding in TSB. Under the terms of the Offer, TSB Banking Group plc shareholders will receive 340 pence per share in cash for each TSB share, which values the entire issued share capital of TSB at approximately GBP 1.7B. Reference Link

Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae begin legal battle against Nomura, RBS, NY Post saysFreddie Mac (FMCC) and Fannie Mae (FNMA) alleged in court proceedings Monday that they bought "bad" mortgages because they were mislead by banks, reports the New York Post, citing court arguments. Monday was the first day of the lawsuit against Nomura (NMR) and co-defendant Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) which seeks $1B in damages as well as the ability to return the securities to the banks. Lawyers presented internal bank emails that identified some mortgages as "crap" or from "extremely dysfunctional" lenders, while the banks alleged that they fully disclosed the poor quality of the products. Reference Link